Bollard Family - Dave and Candace Bollard

Introducing......

2011-10-22T22:37:00.002-06:00

Katelyn Ava Bollard! I guess since she is now a month old, it's time for us to introduce her to the world. She was born on September 21 weighing 6lbs 13 oz and 19 1/2 inches. She is now a good, plump 9lbs 8 oz. She was born in Cedar City and we are so grateful to her birthparents for allowing us to add her to our family. We couldn't be happier!

All I want for Christmas

2010-12-22T16:00:00.002-07:00

Courtney has been hoping a praying to lose her two top teeth before Christmas and almost got her wish. She finally lost one(and by lost I mean her Dad yanked it out with some tears) and couldn't be happier about it. She now says she looks like a dork. Little does she know it will look much worse once her adult tooth replaces it. Awkward phase, here we come!

Anya Johnson

2010-12-22T15:57:00.002-07:00

We were blessed with another baby in my family earlier this month. She is simply adorable and perfect. She has tons of hair, as you can see, and we are so happy to have her in our family. Congratulations Kip and Kaleigh!

Disneyland Again

2010-12-22T15:34:00.007-07:00

Okay, so if you don't realize it by now, We LOVE Disneyland!!! It's our favorite place to go and figure that while Courtney still loves to go on vacation with us, we should take advantage of it. In our defense, this is the first time we have ever gone just the three of us and it was a lot of fun. Here are a few of the highlights:

*Going on Splash Mountain for Courtney's first time

*Riding Tower of Terror for Courtney's first time(Candace is too scared to go on it) and loving it! She says it's her favorite ride and rode it three times in a row.

*Meeting new characters that we haven't met before like Pinocchio and Gepetto and Flynn and Rapunzel

*Of course, Meeting Mickey

*Christmas time is magical in Disneyland! It snows, there's a parade, Santa's there, Christmas trees everywhere

*Getting picked to help Andy's green army men with training

*Having her Dad paint her face and having everyone tell her how good it looked. She has the best Dad ever!

*Getting picked to dance in the High School Musical 3 show and it was the last show they ever did of that

*Finally meeting Jack and Sally. We have waited in line 3 different times that we've been there and then they leave and Courtney has been so sad that we have never got their autograph

*Visiting Pirate's Lair. Don't ask me why we haven't before when we have a daughter so obsessed with pirates but it was really fun!

*Pin trading. Seriously so much fun. Courtney loved to just look at every single worker's pins. She collected the baby pins(baby peter pan, baby abu, and so forth). They really are adorable and she spent more time pin trading than riding rides, I think.

She's hoping to be tall enough to ride Indiana Jones the next time we go. She isn't tall enough for that or Screamin California and she can't wait to ride them. We had the best time, even though is was super crowded. A pretty good Thanksgiving!

On a side note...

2010-12-22T15:30:00.002-07:00

I just wanted to mention that we have no pictures of the first day of school. This is because my daughter just barely stopped crying going to school everyday. I figured it wasn't worth the fight for a picture when she would already wake up crying everyday. Apparently 7 hours a day is way too long for her to be without me(her words). I guess I'm a really terrible person seeing as how I was very excited for her to be in school all day. I must say though, I do miss her. When she gets home and gets her homework done, she wants to play with friends.

Also, no pictures of Halloween. I figure I'm already about 5 years behind in my scrapbooking and really we didn't need more pictures of Halloween. Dave made an awesome Jessie costume for her and she did look adorable. I know, I'm about to get nominated for mom of the year!

Dave's Birthday Celebration

2010-12-22T15:21:00.002-07:00

We had a quiet birthday for Dave. He wanted doughnuts instead of a cake this year, so this is what I came up with. Brian and Megan came over to celebrate with us. Dave got the movie Dick Tracy from his Vegas brother which has significant meaning. Dave has toys in our garage. Among those are mint condition Dick Tracy toys. Can you say nerd? Courtney was really into making him cards and letters this year(which I think is actually his favorite thing). He also wanted a bike to go riding with Courtney, so they can have fun doing that.

I actually surprised him by convincing him that we were going to Courtney's school carnival but instead, took him to P.F. Chang's for dinner and 3rd row seats to a Jazz game. It was only a preseason game, but I can't help when his birthday is! We had a ton of fun and it was fun to be able to surprise him for once in his life. I did get him to admit that it was better than what he asked for. He asked for a night home with just me and Courtney. The game was so much better.

Candace turns the big 30

2010-12-22T15:16:00.002-07:00

I want to say that I feel I should apologize for posting everything so late but I'm not really so I won't. My birthday was clear back in September and my awesome sister-in-law got me a new puppy. His name is Gus-gus and he is a pure bred maltese. We love him so much and he is a great dog! We've only had a few accidents and has even grown on Dave(who says he hates dogs and never wanted one).

24th Celebration in Monroe

2010-10-24T15:37:00.004-06:00

We had so much fun! We went down to Monroe, Utah(yes, it's a real town) for the Pioneer Day celebration. My sister in law is from there and her parents let us stay with them. Sparklers in the backyard.

Megan decided that the girls needed a good, old fashioned water fight during the heat of the day. It felt good to be cool.

Pretty soon everyone just ended up in the little pools that were set up to get water from.

Megan was getting Bob badly, so Brian decided she needed to be taught a lesson!

Having so much fun!!!

Megan and Bob in the middle of a war.

We got to ride on a firetruck at the carnival.

Courtney really wanted to ride this homemade wheel of fun. It looked questionable but they had a good time.

The girls were loving that they got to ride a horse. I guess it was worth the $3 a ride.

Going down the blow up slide!!

It was so hot at the parade that the water was a welcome relief.

Megan's mom had these fabulous hats for the girls to stay shady.

Popsicles at the parade!!!!!!!

Family Party

2010-10-05T15:32:00.002-06:00

Of course, we wouldn't expect anything less than something Tinker Bell from Aunt Megan and Uncle Brian.

A big girl bike from mom and dad.

Fishing gear and a promise to go fishing from Grandma and Grandpa Johnson.

A new Webkinz!

Polly Pockets from Brent and kids.

Hair color and perfume from Bryson and family.

Toy Story 3 Barbie from Kip, Kaleigh and Cashe.

Blowing out her cupcake!!!

A Very Pirate Birthday

2010-10-05T15:25:00.002-06:00

So, even though everyone tells me it is a phase, I don't think so! I think we have a pirate for life. She decided that we had to have a party at Pirate Island, in Orem. If you haven't been there, I seriously suggest it. They have pizza, arcade games, balloon animals(or swords in this case), and a pirate ship slide. We loaded up the girls from the neighborhood(Dave calls them "The Pack") and headed down. They had a great time. They all got hats and swords. Courtney got great presents from her friends. A lot of them were pirate themed, which was great!! Hopefully next year, we get something different. I'm not holding my breath though!

Soccer Ends

2010-09-16T09:29:00.002-06:00

Courtney and Garrett

Courtney and the coach, Adam, and his son Kade

Giving a team cheer

Look at all that hair!

I'm going to begin where I left off in June. Apparently we have been so busy having fun all summer that I didn't feel the need to post anything. Lots of posts to come. I promise. Courtney played spring soccer and wasn't too happy about the crazy Utah weather. Some days were so hot, the kids looked like they were playing in slow motion. Other days, like pictured above, were so cold that we had tons of whining about not wanting to be on the field. Overall, I think it was very fun. Unfortunately, all of the little boys that she usually plays with are switching over to flag football. That means she doesn't really have a team anymore. She wants to do gymnastics instead!

Kindergarten Celebration

2010-06-10T19:24:00.002-06:00

Last week, Courtney graduated from Kindergarten. I can't believe how fast the school year went! She has absolutely loved school. She loved everything about learning at school. She learned all about the continents, animals, ants, nursery rhymes, math, reading, and so much more. She has a great love of learning and even told me that she didn't want school to end. Grandma and Grandpa Johnson were able to come attend and it was a good celebration. We took her out to dinner before the graduation and let her choose where. She picked Cafe Rio and we were so happy that she would want to go there instead of McDonald's. She has made lots of friends and even has a little boyfriend. The summer will be fun but I look forward to her starting 1st grade next year and being gone all day. It's a love hate relationship I have. I hate seeing my baby grow up and I admit, I cried at graduation. But it's nice that she is growing up and experiencing the world and being self sufficient. We love her so much and are proud of all she has accomplished!

Our Model

2010-05-29T19:57:00.002-06:00

Courtney had the opportunity to model for a coaching session. It was up in Salt Lake and she had a great time! I've always told Dave that she could be a model, and now he believes me. He says he would never let her because of the radiating sassiness you can see in her. She is just so grown up! We love her so much and think the photographer captured a lot of her attitude as well. Thanks, Whitni, for this experience!

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T19:43:00.003-06:00

My Mother's Day started about a week and a half ago. Dave brought me home this sweet, new phone and couldn't wait to give it to me. We've been talking about upgrading our phones and he thought it would be something I would want. I love it! Although I have to share it with Dave and Courtney more than I would like, it's great.

Then, yesterday, Dave brought me home this beautiful bouquet of flowers. They have filled the kitchen with a wonderful fragrance. Today, Dave and Courtney made me pancakes for breakfast and brought me a card in bed.

I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be a mother. Although I wish our home could be filled with more children, I know that Courtney is an absolute miracle in our lives. She makes me laugh, cry, smile, scream, and everything in between. I love her so much and am grateful to have the opportunity to raise such an amazing daughter. The world better watch out because she is going to make a huge difference and I can't wait to see it. I love being a mom and wouldn't want to do anything else in my life than raise my sweet baby into a lovely woman.

Spring Soccer

2010-05-06T08:50:00.002-06:00

Courtney started spring soccer and we were lucky enough to have Dave's family in town for her first game. She played really hard, knowing that so many people were watching her. She loves to play and is getting so good at it. I guess I'll have to say goodbye to my dreams of a dancer. I guess I always wanted my girls to play sports but when they are young, dance is just so cute! I will be happy with whatever she does, as long as she is enjoying it.

First lost tooth

2010-04-18T19:56:00.002-06:00

Courtney has been waiting for the day when she would lose her first tooth. Her bottom one has been loose for so long! It had been dangling for awhile but both she and Dave were scared to have me pull it out. We were at some of our friend's house for dinner(the guy just happens to be a dentist) and they convinced her to let me try to pull it out. She gave me one try only! It came right out, she didn't even realize it had come out. She told me that I could try one more time. I showed her the tooth and she was so happy. She was even happier to get a whole dollar from the Tooth Fairy. Her dad and her argued about the amount. Dave said he only used to get a quarter but I think inflation had something to do with the dollar. She doesn't have any other loose teeth but can't wait to lose more.

School Spirit

2010-04-18T19:53:00.002-06:00

A few weeks back, Courtney's school celebrated a spirit week. There was tie day, slipper day, hawaiian day, and disco day. Courtney loved dressing up and having a little variety in her uniform life. She made me take these pictures because she thought she looked so cute!

St. Patrick's Day

2010-04-18T19:48:00.002-06:00

We are lucky enough, or unlucky, have leprechauns visit us every year. This year they were not as bad as they have been in years past. They left lots of green things for Courtney! Then I made green shamrock pancakes for breakfast. I had really good intentions to make a green dinner too but with Dave working and a great deal from Chick-fil-a, we decided to go out for dinner. Courtney also had leprechauns visit her classroom at school. They made a huge mess and left footprints everywhere. It was a fun day for everyone!

Deja vu

2010-04-18T19:27:00.003-06:00

For those of you who have been following our blog for awhile, we are no strangers to water. We just can't seem to stay away from it. Clear back in February (I know I'm really behind), we had a flood in our home. It was a seeminly quiet President's Day. Courtney was home from school, grandma was here visiting, and Dave had a bad headache. He didn't want it to turn into a migraine, so he decided to get in the bath. This was about 8 in the morning, so I was still trying to sleep. I was rudely interupted when Courtney came and woke me up screaming that water was coming out of the fan. I told her that she wasn't making sense and where was water coming out and what fan. She proceeded to show me (I don't know where she gets her dramatics from) by twirling her finger in the air and screaming, "You know what a fan is!" I was starting to get the picture. I ran downstairs to see a stream of water coming out of our ceiling fan light. I went upstairs to tell Dave to turn the bath water off. He did and then pulled the plug out. As the water started to drain, we heard a blood curdling scream. Apparently the draining water had made the water flow even faster. Dave replugged the drain and got downstairs. He was trying to find where the leak was coming from, by ripping apart my ceiling. I wasn't so sure about his tactics but in the end, he found out the the tub drain was leaking. We had to call a restoration company and get everything dried out. This process took about a week. Then we had to get people to put up sheetrock, paint, and replace our carpet. Our house was pretty much out of commission for more than a few weeks. I have to say, for the first few days, it was great. I couldn't cook in the kitchen, there was no reason to clean. Courtney loved eating McDonald's in our bedroom while watching tv. It got old really fast though. In the end, we ended up changing some of our paint colors and got the carpet we've always wanted. We love the way it turned out and are even happier that we are back in one piece!

Annual Snowboarding Trip

2010-01-31T18:28:00.003-07:00

Dave's friends from high school always come to Utah for a snowboarding trip around January or February. They had a big group this year and we had about 5 people staying here with us. They snowboarded all day Friday and Saturday. They always love getting together and have a great time. The bonus was that Dave didn't even get hurt! Can you believe it? I was so glad he didn't come back with some crazy injury.

Hats!!!

2010-01-31T18:25:00.003-07:00

My friend makes these hats and Courtney has been wanting them so badly. I finally ordered them and she was super excited when they came in the mail. She can't wear them to school but as soon as she gets home, she puts one on. We ordered brown and black and they have removable flowers so they match all her outfits. I found her like this in bed last week and had to take a picture. I think she likes them! She would wear it all the time if she could. Thank you, Jamie, for the cutest hats ever!!

Courtney's First Hair Cut

2010-01-31T18:07:00.003-07:00

Courtney has been wanting to cut her hair for about a year. For those of you who don't know, Dave hates short hair and forbids Courtney and I from getting it cut. She has been adamant about it, so Dave finally decided to let her do it. She knew exactly how she wanted it. I told the hairdresser that I wanted it to be able to still be put in a ponytail, but she said it needed to be shorter. She loves it and says it's exactly the way she pictured it being! She is even fine with me round brushing it everyday. Dave actually agreed that it's cute but still doesn't like it because he said it makes her look way too old. I agree that she looks older, but she is going to be six in June, so she's going to grow up regardless of how we cut her hair. She is already asking when she can go get it cut again!

Christmas Present

2010-01-25T14:27:00.003-07:00

We got a family picture done over the holiday's and decided to send them to a few of our friends. This was cool that our pic ended up in a rock video.

Click link: http://www.myspace.com/fanvideo?id=24a570f5ae7b56c10e9791fc6150132d

Gingerbread Stuff

2009-12-20T20:21:00.003-07:00

Dave's mom gave us kits to make gingerbread trees and trains. We had Brian and Megan over for dinner, then made our cute things. We had a lot of fun and love it when we get to hang with these guys. It was fun to do something festive!

Family Pictures

2009-12-17T19:19:00.004-07:00

We had a great Thanksgiving. We were lucky enough to have my newly married brother in law and his wife host a fabulous meal and Dave's entire family from Vegas came to celebrate with us. It was a weekend filled with shopping (9pm to 6am), games, movies, and of course, good food! I love the fact that Dave's family does the black friday thing with me. Dave, of course, hates any shopping, most especially black friday. His family, however, are the best people to shop with. It was great. The Saturday after Thanksgiving, we went up the canyon to get family pictures. They turned out so good! I normally hate all of our family pictures but thanks to the best photographer, Kevin Lunt, we got some great shots, even though we were freezing. We are so happy with how they turned out that I had to post a few of them. Hope everyone felt they had as much to be grateful for this year as we did. I love my little family and realize that we are so blessed!

Winter has come!

2009-11-02T20:23:00.000-07:00

We got back from Disneyland (85 degree weather everyday) to this huge snowstorm. I guess we all knew it was coming. I was hoping it wouldn't snow until the week before Christmas, but I guess the week before Halloween is more realistic in Utah.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-02T20:17:00.005-07:00

We had a ton of fun carving pumpkins this year! Courtney really enjoyed designing her pumpkin this year. Then we went to our friend's house for Halloween. It was really great. They had chili and hot dogs for dinner and hot chocolate and a fire to keep us warm. Then they had a trailer to put the kids on and they drove them around for trick or treating. How lucky!! She has never had such an easy time getting so much candy. It was a good Halloween and we are now ready for Thanksgiving.

Disneyland 2009

2009-11-02T20:13:00.005-07:00

We had so much fun going to Disneyland with Brian, Megan, and Wendy!! We love Disneyland and had a great time going for Dave's birthday. Courtney could ride practically everything and doesn't get scared one bit. We can't wait to go again next year!

And it goes on and on

2009-10-18T19:00:00.002-06:00

Since I hadn't been able to figure out the picture thing, I sort of stopped taking them. We also went to BrianHead with the whole Bollard clan in September. It was the weekend of my birthday and a lot of fun. We got to stay in the coolest cabin and rented four wheelers to ride around on all weekend.

Just this last weekend, Courtney had a late night with all of her girlfriends. They ate pizza, decorated cookies, painted, made crowns, made braclets, played a ton, and watched a movie. They loved it and we may even try a sleep over next time.

We have also loved having Brian and Megan(Dave's brother and sis in law) so close to us. They got married in May and left to Texas for the summer. :( I was so sad and missed them lots. They had a house built while they were gone, in Lehi. We spend many of our nights with them!

We have been busy, continue to be busy and are loving our life. We have big plans this weekend for Dave's birthday too, so stay tuned for the post.

P. S. It won't be another 6 months before the next post!!!!

Fall Soccer

2009-10-18T18:55:00.002-06:00

Despite the look on her face, she has loved soccer. The season ended on Saturday, where she scored her first goal. She got a trophy and everything. Dave has been making her wait to start playing sports because of her small size. She makes up for her stature in heart. She goes for the ball every time and really tries to control it and to do her best. Every one of our friends were super impressed with her. She was lucky enough to get to play with some of her best friends, the whole team was made up from the ward. She will definitely be playing again in the spring.

First Day of Kindergarten

2009-10-18T18:50:00.002-06:00

I'm not sure when we gave Courtney permission to grow up, but she is. I used to laugh when people would say that time went too quickly and that they wouldn't be little for long. I used to not believe people when they said they couldn't remember their children as babies. I now believe everyone that has ever told me those things. Courtney is absolutely loving school. She works really hard and is already a great reader! Her teacher is the greatest and the best part about the beginning of this school year(drum roll please!) is that there was no crying. Not one tear was shed for the start of school this year. Yet another reason that we know that she is growing up. I am so happy and relieved. This is what the two painful years of preschool were for. She is absolutely the light in our life and we wouldn't trade her for all the money in the world! She makes us happy and our family complete.

Sun Valley, Idaho

2009-10-18T18:38:00.005-06:00

When Dave first told me that he was being sent to Idaho for business, I told him that we wouldn't want to go with him. Was I ever wrong?!! This place is great. We are hoping to be able to go back next year. There was bowling in the basement of the lodge, an outdoor skating rink, deadly swans, an ice show, swimming, blow up slides, trampoline jumping, and more. We were given a gift bag when we first arrived full of tons of goodies and it just kept getting better. There was so much to do that we needed more like a week there. I guess I've always been wrong about Idaho because I would visit there again in a heartbeat!!

A Trip to Colorado

2009-10-18T18:35:00.002-06:00

We went on a road trip with Grandma and Grandpa to visit Darron,

Kristen, Emma, and the new baby, Rosie. Courtney couldn't get enough of Rosie and had so much fun playing with Emma. We don't get to see these guys too much, so it was a real treat to get to stay with them for a few days. We hope to be able to visit again sooner than later!

Swimming

2009-10-18T18:32:00.002-06:00

Courtney loves to go swimming when it's hot, and her favorite place is Grandma and Grandpa's, of course. I'm pretty sure these little girls swam everyday.

Ali and Aubrey's Birthday Party

2009-10-18T18:25:00.002-06:00

We were so lucky to be able to be in Las Vegas for Ali and Aubrey's Birthday. Courtney hates missing a cousin's party, so she was thrilled. It was a princess party with a real prince and princess! There were stories, candy, songs, make-up, balloon animals and much more. It was such a blast. So many people were there to help celebrate. As usual, Courtney couldn't let it be just a princess party, She insisted on a sword and holder to become a pirate! So much for my little girl.

Fourth of July

2009-10-18T18:16:00.004-06:00

We went camping with some of our best friends for the Fourth. Although we had to for go the fireworks(they really frown on that in the forest, fires and all!), we had a great time. We love having our tent trailer to camp in.

Courtney did manage to get an injury on her bike. She layed down for awhile, then she was on her way again.

The guys decided to set up a trap for the chipmunks and squirrels. The little critters couldn't resist the food and we ended up catching 3 squirrels and 1 chipmunk. We learned our lesson after the chipmunk. Dave and Torrey think it may have been cardiac arrest but I'm not sure. The thing started running around like crazy, so they lifted the bin to let it go, and it killed over. We won't be catching chipmunks again any time soon.

Our wonderful friends, the Gardners!!!

Courtney told Torrey that he was the best boy scout ever because he was so good at starting fires.

Courtney and Megan, the best chef's ever!!

Oh so Behind!!

2009-10-18T18:05:00.003-06:00

This happened to Dave on a wakeboarding trip at Lake Mead with some old high school buddies. Right before that trip, he bought a new computer and he just now showed me how to upload pictures and blog again. I know everyone has missed me! So much has happened since that time. Don't worry, Dave recovered and is as good as ever. My brother and his four kids came home from that trip with us and stayed with us for five weeks! That pretty much took over the rest of our summer. They relocated here from Las Vegas, so it is very exciting to finally have them closer to us!!! I started working at the school that Courtney attends, half days. I work in a first grade class, as a teacher's assistant. I have really enjoyed it. I also have started tending four wonderful kids, 2 hours a day, 4 days a week. They are all boys, 10, 5, 18 months, and 2 months. Courtney loves going over there and they are fun to be with. I love to stay busy! If you have the time or want to know about other specifics, I will be posting more.

Happy Anniversary!!

2009-08-11T14:19:00.002-06:00

On this day, eight years ago, Dave and I were married and sealed in the Mount Timp Temple. I can't believe it has been so long. Even though Dave never looks at our blog and will never read this, I wanted to tell him how much I love him. This year has been the craziest year of our whole married life(which is really saying something because we've had lots of ups and downs) but I can honestly say that going through things with him is what gets me through each day. He is a wonderful husband and I couldn't ask for a better father to Courtney. He works so hard for our family and hardly ever complains(he's human, so it does happen sometimes)! He would do anything in his power to make Courtney happy and loves us both so much. Even though our life seems so uncertain and every plan we have ever made hasn't worked out the way we wanted or the time we wanted, we always do it together. I have learned so much from him and his family and would not be the person I am today if he wasn't my eternal companion. I love you so much Dave!! Happy Anniversary!

She Rides!!!

2009-06-17T16:18:00.002-06:00

We are so proud of Courtney! For her birthday, she got a new bike from her Grandma and Grandpa. After 20 minutes of help from Dave, she was off and riding. We haven't been able to keep her off it since. She loves to ride!!

Camping

2009-06-17T15:57:00.004-06:00

We went camping a few weeks ago and it was a blast! Courtney said she wanted to camp every day. Dave isn't a big camper but has decided to try to be one because we love it so much. It was our first trip of the season. The campground was great. It had so many trees and bushes. Courtney and I walked all around the campground looking for the good camping sites(this is a hint for anyone wanting to camp with us). She was excited to see a squirrel, chipmunks, and hummingbirds. We were told by the camp host that we could also see deer and rabbits, and she was pretty disappointed that we didn't end up seeing any. I don't think there is anything better than lighting a fire, just as it is beginning to cool off, and then making smores before bed. We love it! Don't worry, it wasn't all fun though. It rained a lot while we were there, which kept us inside, but it was fun to be in the trailer. Courtney also fell into the fire the second night, but was somehow ok. We played lots of Uno and Rook and hope to go again soon.

My baby graduates!

2009-05-24T12:53:00.004-06:00

I know I am long overdue to post, but I really feel like life is just flying by with Courtney graduating from preschool. I know some of you may laugh, but I was pretty teary eyed during the whole thing. I just can't believe she starts school in the fall.
She was fortunate to go to school with one of her best friends, Maddie, all year. They had a great time being together and I was happy that I got to carpool.
They are so crazy! They had a little girl in their class give them these candy leis.
This is their teacher, Miss Kelsey, who was so good to put up with Courtney all year. Courtney had a hard time every single day. She doesn't like to be away from me and cried most days. Miss Kelsey was great with her and really made her feel like school was a great place to be. She even told me that she would go to Kindergarten if Miss Kelsey could be her teacher!
I guess we've known that she is growing up. She told Dave two weeks ago that she would not watch any more baby shows, which included, Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Dora, and others. She said she would only watch Hanna Montana and High School Musical. Dave said he felt like he was punched in the stomach. We don't want her to grow up but are so proud of her and all that she has accomplished and what she will accomplish. Although in the program she stated that she wanted to be a pirate when she grows up, I know that she will be successful in whatever she wants to be.

St. Patty's Day

2009-03-25T10:21:00.004-06:00

We were lucky enough to have leprechauns visit our house on St. Patrick's Day. Courtney heard from a friend(thanks a lot Karinne) that leprechauns will leave candy in your shoes if the house is clean enough for them to get around. Courtney cleaned the whole house, and sure enough, leprechauns left candy, shamrocks, and even little poopoos at the house. Courtney was so worried about us that she set shoes out for Dave and I so that we wouldn't be left out. It was very cute. We were lucky to have the Young family visiting us, so they received gifts too. It was a great day. We started with green eggs and toast for breakfast and finished the day with green rice, chicken, kool-aid and some broccoli. We can't wait for next year!

Indiana Trip

2009-03-25T09:52:00.004-06:00

So I know this is late in coming, but here it is. For those of you who don't know, we went to Fort Wayne Indiana to adopt a baby girl. The birthmother decided to keep the baby, so we had to find things to do to keep our mind off it. Needless to say, we were completely devastated. We had a few days before we were flying back to Salt Lake and found a few fun things to do with Courtney.
We found this bubble that had indoor miniature golfing that Courtney loved! On the other side of the bubble, there was indoor soccer going on. It was a pretty cool idea! Courtney had a good time showing off her golfing skills.
We found an old firestation with all sorts of old things in it. You weren't supposed to get in the fire trucks, but the guy in charge told us we could because we were the only ones there!
We will probably never go back to Fort Wayne, but we found a few things that Courtney liked.

Hard Work

2009-01-19T17:08:00.002-07:00

Dave and I have been hard at work to get the rooms ready. As we head off to Indiana to get our new baby girl, I finally feel prepared. It started with Courtney wanting to do something to her room(why should the new baby get all the fun stuff). She decided she wanted to change rooms and to paint it pink. Dave wasn't a fan of the entire room being pink, so this is what we compromised on. I think it turned out great!

Then it was on to the nursery. Of course Dave didn't want pink in another room, so again, we compromised. We were going to do brown and pink alternating, but Dave decided it would look best all brown. After getting it painted and getting the molding up, I felt it still needed something. Dave was kind enough to paint the pink flowers all the way around the room. It looks fantastic! Thanks, honey, for all of your hard work. I made the bumpers and quilt(which is still being quilted), so hopefully it will be back soon so I can post that as well. Bring on the baby!

Christmas 2008

2009-01-04T18:10:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

2008-12-16T13:57:00.006-07:00

Snow, to me, means Christmas can come. It has been really cold but not too snowy, until last Saturday. Courtney was dying to go outside over the weekend, but her and I were both really sick. I told her she would have to wait. Today, there was another huge storm, so she got all ready and got to go play in her first snow of the season. She, of course, had to invite a friend over. They had a great time and are outside playing as I post this blog. Here's to the holidays!

Gingerbread Houses at Grandma's

2008-12-16T13:45:00.006-07:00

While my brother was in town, grandma had all the kids over to make gingerbread houses. They really had a good time doing it. Even my 10 year old nephew, who is very artistic, got into it. They all did a really good job. It was fun to get everyone into the Christmas spirit. I think they like eating more of the candy than putting it on their houses but that's most of the fun.

Courtney's first dance recital

2008-12-16T13:41:00.003-07:00

I was pretty nervous about the performance at the Festival of Trees. This is Courtney's first year in dance and they only started in October. She doesn't always want to go to dance but I think it's because it is from 5-6pm and she is pretty tired by that point in the day. The performance went great and she had lots of support there.

My brother and his four kids came, as well as my parents, and Dave even got to skip a little work to come watch. She did such a great job and we were so proud of her. All of these girls are in the ward, and all but one live on our street, so it is fun to see them dance together.
Her recital at her school is tonight, so hopefully it goes well.

Sleepy Head

2008-12-16T13:33:00.003-07:00

Courtney likes to tuck her animals in before bed with her. I went in one night and wasn't even sure if she was in bed with them. Why is it that kids are so darn cute when they are sleeping?

Turkey Day!!

2008-12-02T09:03:00.003-07:00

Being the smart person that I am, I took no pictures of our Thanksgiving. I knew it wouldn't be as fun to read without pictures but I had to do it anyway. Dave's entire family came to Utah for the holiday. It was so much fun. It's been awhile since we've all been together and it was a blast. I was so thankful to Wendy for teaching me how to make turkey and stuffing. Also, Courtney and Ali had so much fun playing together. Courtney and I had a conversation at bedtime one evening that went like this:
Courtney:Mom, I want Ali to stay for a hundred days.
Me:Don't you think Ali would miss her family?
Courtney:Ok, grandma can stay here too.
Me:Don't you think Ali would miss the rest of the family?
Courtney:Fine. Everyone can move into our house. That would be more fun.

We also did the Black Friday thing. I have always been a fan but am slowly converting the Bollard family. We went to the mall at midnight, stayed until 3:30, then hit Kohl's and ended up at Walmart. We got home around 7 in the morning. We got some good deals though. Our favorite was at Gymboree. They gave us our total, $116 or close to it, then said that we saved $167. That made us happy. And we know we got good deals at Kohl's.

Bob and Wendy were kind enough to watch the children on Saturday night so that the three couples could go out. We shopped, ate dinner at Olive Garden and went and saw Four Christmases. It was great to be together. A big thanks to the Bollard families for coming up and thanks to Megan for spending time with our family too.

We hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving and find yourselves with much to be thankful for at this time.

The many faces of Courtney

2008-11-04T18:50:00.003-07:00

Courtney couldn't decide what to be for Halloween this year. It was a pirate, then a monkey, superwoman, and on and on. I finally decided that I wasn't going to keep buying and taking costumes back. I told her that she had so many princess dresses that she just needed to pick a princess to be. At Disneyland, she opted for Snow White. Then she decided to be Belle for a neighborhood party. The ward party she wanted to be Cinderella. Then for her school party(did I mention we had a lot of parties this year), she wanted to be a fairy princess. You can see that her bear, Baby Courtney, had to get a costume and it was no other than a pirate one(even though she was very mad that I made her get the dress costume for girls, instead of the boy pirate one). Then she told us that she wanted to be something scary on Halloween, because she had gotten some fangs at one of the parties. So we made her a scary princess bride. She loved this costume most and I'm hoping someday, she will be a little princess but for now, it's all things boy and scary. I almost forgot to mention that she wanted to make her pumpkin a pirate, so we got away with not carving this year.

Gardner Village

2008-10-31T14:47:00.004-06:00

We went to Gardner Village on probably the most crowded day of the year. We still had a great time. My niece, Abbie, was here visiting, so she is the "twin" with Courtney in a few of the pics. It was also my friend's, Karinne, birthday that day. We had a good time spotting all the witches and were pleasantly surprised that there were real witches out and about as well.

The Happiest Place On Earth

2008-10-23T19:11:00.002-06:00

It really is the happiest place on earth for us. Well, when I say us, I pretty much mean Courtney and I. Dave does not think that walking around for 10 hours a day is a vacation, but you couldn't get me out of the place. We had so much fun! It was even more fun because Dave's brother, Brian, and his girlfriend, Megan, came with us. It was especially fun because Megan has never been before. Courtney being an old pro at Disneyland was careful to pick and choose what she really wanted. If a line was to long, she would say, "Let's just forget about this one." It was pretty funny. She did get to experience some new rides this year(yeah for getting taller!). She absolutely loved Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribean, and the Haunted Mansion. Her favorite is still the Snow White ride. I'm pretty sure she still liked meeting characters best. I don't think anyone could have been happier than when we met Captain Jack Sparrow. She even told him that she isn't a princess, but a pirate. It was hilarious!

Bowling

2008-10-08T23:01:00.002-06:00

Courtney has a kind of obsession with bowling. She actually loves to bowl on the Wii. She thinks it is pretty neat that she can beat her dad, grandpa, and uncle at it. She's not as good in real life but still has a very good time. She started off strong but had to use the ramp about halfway through. She always loves it when Grandma and Grandpa come to visit.

The Circus Comes to Town

2008-10-08T22:58:00.002-06:00

The circus is one of the weirdest things I have ever seen, and frankly, not that entertaining. Don't tell that to these two girls though. Courtney wanted to invite her friend, Haylee, to the circus with us and they had a great time! They really were troopers, but after almost three hours, they told us they were ready to go. We only missed the last 15 minutes or so, but they were both asleep before we made it to the freeway.

State Fair

2008-10-08T22:49:00.002-06:00

For Courtney, the best part of competing for Utah's funniest kid was getting tickets to the fair. It was half price wristband day, the day we went, so we had to get one for her. I don't think a kid has ever been happier.
She loves going on the rides! She went on the slide at least 25 times, so we definitely got our money's worth there.

She likes the crazy rides best and gets kind of tired of kid's rides.
She even went on an adult ride(that technically, she wasn't tall enough to get on, but her dad was holding her so the worker wouldn't know) and it was totally her favorite one. She is definitely her father's child!

They wanted a group shot of all of the kids that participated for Utah's funniest kid, and this is our daughter. All I can say is heaven help us when she becomes a teenager.

A Couple of Cuties!

2008-10-08T22:46:00.002-06:00

It is really no surprise to anyone that knows us, that Courtney is obsessed with babies. Dave's cousin has one of the cutest and her name is Bailey. Courtney can't get enough of her.

Hail

2008-10-08T22:34:00.003-06:00

Ok, so this post is a little late. It really happened all the way back in August(right after our 11 year anniversary;). It started to hail and it was crazy.
Courtney loved being able to get out her umbrella!
Look at the size of the hail!!

My hubby

2008-09-29T21:57:00.002-06:00

I have yet another tag but thought it would be a nice one to do about Dave.

1. Where did you meet? Southern Utah University

2. How long did you date for? 2 months until engagement, 3 more months to marriage

3. How long have you been married? 7 years

4. What does he do that surprises you? Sometimes he just randomly mops and vacums.

5. What is your favorite feature about him? I don't want to sound too shallow and say his butt, but it is pretty fine. And of course, his eyes!

6. What's your favorite quality about him? How much he loves his daughter and is willing to do anything to care for her.

7. Does he have a nick name for you? No, actually.

8. What is his favorite color? I don't actually know but the guy wears a ton of blue!

9. What is his favorite food? Lately, a Big Mac but usually a good steak suits him best.

10. What is his favorite sport? Basketball

11. Who said I love you first? It was definitely him (one of the reasons I love him!)

12. When and where was your first kiss? It was Spring Break 2001 in Huntington Beach. We weren't even dating. I guess he figured he would just go for it.

13. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? Most often we go to the movies

14. Do you have any kids? How many? 1 daughter

15. What is a hidden talent of his? Most people don't know Dave is an artist. I wish it wasn't so hidden. He is great!

16. How old is he? He will be 33 on October 24.

17. What is his favorite kind of music? It depends on his mood. But just to be clear, it is NEVER Country music.

18. What do you admire about him? Just the person that he is and wants to be.

19. What is his favorite pastime? Did someone say Video Games?

20. Do you think he is going to read this? If he does, it will be in a few months.

I want to hear about everyone's husbands, so consider yourself tagged if you haven't already done it.

The good old days

2008-09-29T21:45:00.003-06:00

Ok, thanks to my dear friend Alisha, I now have to let you all know a little about my high school days.

1. Did you date someone from your high school: Yes, fortunately not for long periods of time.

2. What kind of car did you drive? I drove a lavendar Geo Prism that my mom and dad so nicely gave me.

3. What is your most embarrassing moment in high school?: I know this is a lot of information, so I am giving you the option to stop reading with a warning: I started my period and it bled through my pants. You didn't even think that happened to people in real life, did you?
4. Were you a party animal?: No.

5. Were you considered a flirt?: Nope

.6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?: No.

7. Were you a nerd? Nope.

8. Were you on any varsity teams?: Nope

9. Did you get suspended/expelled?: I would never have dreamed of it.

10. Can you still sing the fight song?: If I was at a football game and it started right after a touch down, I am positive it would all come back.

11. Who were your favorite teachers?:I loved Mr. Garlic and Mr. Wagstaff but definitely had a crush on Mr.Beeson.

12. Where did you sit during lunch?: In the commons area

13. School Mascot?: Cavemen

14. Did you go to homecoming and with who?: I went with a foreign exchange student one year and a friend another.

15. If you could go back and do it again, would you?: Absolutely not. I would go through my two years of college in a heartbeat, but not high school.

16. What do you remember most about graduation?: Wanting to get to school and move from home.

17. Where did you go senior skip day?: I don't think we ever had one of those.

18. Have you gained weight since then?: Definitely

19. Who was your prom date?: I went with a returned missionary, Steve, and Micah Derfler.

20. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion?: I'm thinking about it

21. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself?: Have more fun, live it up!

I tag anyone who feels up to the challenge!

Utah's Funniest Kid - FOX 13

2008-09-17T19:56:00.005-06:00

Courtney was recently on TV. We went to Chick-Fil-A one day and they were giving out free circus tickets for kids that made funny faces or told jokes. I guess they liked Courtney because they asked her to be on TV with Big Budah. She then went to the Utah State Fair for the Utah's Funniest Kid competition. She had a good time.

First Day of School

2008-09-03T15:07:00.002-06:00

Courtney has once again started Preschool. I have been looking forward to this day for 3 months now. Courtney was a little hesitant but ended up loving it. Her teacher is Miss Kelsie. She gets to go to school with her friend, Maddie, which has helped a ton. She didn't even shed any tears today. It was quite the opposite. She said, "Just leave mom." That, to some moms, would have broken their hearts, but I have been waiting for this day for 4 years. I was so proud of her!

Breakfast anyone?

2008-08-30T16:57:00.002-06:00

Dave and I were sleeping in one morning after a late night and woke to Courtney begging us to come down for breakfast. Little did we know, she had made breakfast for us! It was bittersweet because it was so fun that she did it for us, but we definitely have a grown up little girl on our hands. She is always doing kind, thoughtful things for us. We love her tons!

Anything for Free Food

2008-08-30T16:53:00.002-06:00

As you can see, it is not above me to dress my daughter and niece up like cows for free dinner. As most of you know, Chick-fil-A is pretty much my favorite place to eat. On customer appreciation day, you get a free meal if you dress up like a cow. I'm totally doing it next year(I know you can't wait for pics)!

Correction

2008-08-13T23:01:00.002-06:00

Don't ask me why but I accidentally put that it was our 11 year anniversary. No, I didn't get married when I was 16! I have no idea why I put that but have changed it to seven years. Wow, I guess I should be less tired when posting!

Our 7 Year Anniversary

2008-08-13T11:17:00.003-06:00

Dave loved this big elk (even though he thought it was a moose)!

Dave couldn't pass up the opportunity to get a picture with this huge, crazy looking bear.
On Main Street in Park City.
This was Dave's favorite person in the opera.

Dave tried to surprise me this year, but his mom kind of let it out of the bag early. He was able to do a little surprising though. Dave's mom flew in to watch Courtney while we went away for 3 days and two nights. It was heavenly! First we went up to Park City and stayed at the Treasure Mountain Inn. It was a condo type room, so it was really great. We walked up and down main, ate dinner outside in the nice evening, then headed up to Deer Valley for an Outdoor Opera. We aren't huge opera fans but it was really funny and we had a great time. The next day we went shopping at the outlets (of course, you never go to Park City and leave without doing that). Then we headed down to Salt Lake. We walked around Temple Square until we were able to check into our hotel. Then we walked to the Gateway and shopped some more. Then we decided to hit a movie. The next morning we had the best breakfast at the hotel and we were off. It was great to have a relaxing little trip, but it's always good to get home. Thank you Dave, for being my knight in shining armor everyday and for doing such wonderful things for me. Thank you Wendy, for watching Courtney so that we could spend some time together.

Our Fourth of July

2008-07-27T17:00:00.004-06:00

I know, it's a little late but thought I would post these anyway. We went to the Riverton City Parade. Luckily, we were in the shade but we did have to set up our chairs 3 days in advance to get it. Courtney had a great time, even though the only candy they threw was taffy. Of course she loved the pirate float best.
After the parade, we went to watch Dave play softball with some guys from our neighborhood. It was actually a tournament but our team was pretty bad! They were eliminated after two games but it was still a lot of fun to go and watch.

Memories

2008-07-22T08:24:00.001-06:00

Well, I guess I will play along, it has been fun to comment on others blogs about my memories of them so it should be fun to get some back.
So here are the instructions...1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you.

Picture Tag

2008-07-19T15:43:00.026-06:00

Here's how it works...for each question, look up the answer on google image search. Then choose your favorite image from the FIRST PAGE OF RESULTS ONLY. If you want to do this (which I would love it if you did) please post in my comments that you completed it so I can view yours. If you need clarification on any of them leave a comment. This actually took me way too long because I'm a retard when it comes to this stuff but so much fun. I am tagging everyone I know to do this one because it is a lot of fun and pretty hilarious.

My first name

My middle name

My last name

My screen name

My college degree

My grandmother's name

My bad habit

Town where I live

Best friend's nickname

A past love

A past pet

My favorite color

Town where I was born

My favorite animal

What I'm doing right now

My favorite food

My favorite object

My fav place

A place I'd like to travel to

My age

San Francisco

2008-07-04T16:59:00.001-06:00

We recently went on a trip to San Francisco with the Bollard family. We were able to meet Dave's parents there and visited Dave's brothers who are there selling security systems. The cousins had such a good time together. It was so much fun.

A Very Pirate Birthday

2008-07-04T16:47:00.005-06:00

A pirate ship that she plays with all the time. They attack her My Little Ponies.
She broke the pinata open and said it was her favorite part of the party.
Matthew taking a swing.
Picking up all the candy.
Do we look like pirates yet?

The great cake topper Dave made.
Making pirate swords and hats.
My little pirate.
Cousin, Brayden, as a pirate.
Opening presents.

Courtney was adamant about having a pirate birthday this year. I kept telling her no. I was dreaming of her friends coming dressed up like little princesses and giving jewelry out as party favors. I finally realized that she should have what she wants and I agreed to the pirate party. I got into after that. I made invitations for all of her friends and started buying everything pirate. The party really came together when I decided to go for a red and black theme. I got a treasure chest and filled it with everything pirate and had a treasure hunt. They also made pirate hats and swords. Of course, we had to have a pinata, which was a big hit. They also had hot dogs, strawberries, tator tots, cake and ice cream. Dave made the awesome treasure map to put on top of her cake. We also have to thank Grandma Bollard for coming and helping with the party and keeping Courtney entertained while I got everything ready. I think it was a great party but I can't believe my baby is four. I know that sounds so lame to say, but it's so true. When did she become this independent, opinionated little girl. She is already so giving and loving and I know she will only continue to become better and better and she grows up.

Preschool Graduation

2008-07-04T16:39:00.004-06:00

Courtney had such a great year of preschool. She was definitely a crier for most of the year but she loved her teacher, Miss Heidi so much. She had such a good time making friends and learning this year. Her end of year program was so cute. They all sang about 15 songs and it was as cute as ever. If you notice the band-aid on her chin it's because she had a horrible experience right before we left for graduation. It was 15 minutes until we had to leave and we were right on schedule, something I have to do. As Courtney was sitting down to eat before we left, she fell and hit her chin on a chair. I thought it was going to be split open but when I looked at it, it was only bleeding but she was pretty upset. We barely made it to the graduation before it started and she was so upset that she didn't want to stay with her class. Luckily, she changed her mind. She had definitely been looking forward to this program. She had the chance to go to Las Vegas with Grandma Johnson, spend some time with her cousins and come back to Utah with Grandma Bollard but she turned it all down to get to be there for the program. We are so proud of her!

A Family Party

2008-07-04T16:25:00.004-06:00

Courtney had a birthday party with the Johnson family before her actual birthday and thought it was just great. She was so excited to be able to blow out her candles all by herself. She considers herself extremely old because she is now four. She loved all of her presents but especially her new Kung Fu Panda. We had just seen the movie the day before. She also loved getting her fishing pole and loves going fishing with Grandpa, Grandma and Uncle Kip.

A Very Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-12T17:36:00.003-06:00

This has been probably my best Mother's Day thus far. I love Courtney getting older and getting so excited about things. She started making a card and handprints for me at school a few weeks ago and told me that she was making something secret for me for Mother's Day. When she finally brought it home, she hid it under her bed. She couldn't wait for Mother's Day to come. She and Dave got me a card, roses, a mini flower pot to grow sunflowers, and an alarm clock with a cd player and speakers. She kept hugging me all day saying, "Happy Mother's Day"! It was also the very first time she got to get up with the primary kids to sing a song to all the mothers. She is getting so big! I have to express how much I love being a mother. Most days seem hard and like I have not accomplished anything but I love Courtney so much. She is the light and joy in my life and I couldn't ask for more than to be a mother. Happy Mother's Day everyone!

March 2008

2008-05-01T10:06:00.000-06:00

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Change is in the air

2008-04-24T15:00:00.002-06:00

I decided to finally cut my hair! Dave really doesn't like short hair, so I have kept it long for most of our marriage but I was getting so sick of it that I just chopped it off. I thought it would be easier to do but it actually takes me more time than before. I like it and it has been good on warm days(today not included, since it is SNOWING!) but I may just stick to long hair in the future.

Also, Dave changed jobs! Although we are pretty sad that we no longer get free movie tickets :( we are happy that he is doing something new and challenging. The company is called No More Mortgage, and he is the marketing director there. I am so proud of him for getting this job and making a difficult change. He has enjoyed it so far, and hopefully will continue to.

A Very Late Happy Easter

2008-04-09T09:18:00.003-06:00

I know I have been totally slacking but I wanted to post our pics of Easter. After 5 Easter Egg Hunts, I was done this year. Courtney had such a blast though. Our great neighborhood did an Easter Party and hunt for the kids that was really fun. Then my aunt Elaine did one at Poppy's for the kids. She also went to a city hunt, which was a total bust. Then, of course, the Easter bunny hid eggs, along with bringing her basket. Last but not least, the hunt at Grandma and Grandpa's. It was a great holiday and we also liked being able to teach Courtney this year. She is finally old enough to be taught some of these wonderful gospel principles and she understands them mostly. We hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

All grown up

2008-03-17T12:24:00.003-06:00

Everytime Courtney does some new thing or gets to a new milestone, I feel like I have lost my little baby, but this one is a big one! Courtney has a favorite blanket that is basically in shambles. I have know we need to get rid of it but am terrified that she will go to pieces. So yesterday Dave says, "Courtney, we need to cut this up and throw it away." Courtney starts to scream, "No, no, no." Then she decides that she wants to throw it out. She gets the scissors and Dave cuts the blanket in half, giving her the worst side to throw out. After she throws it away, Dave gives her the other half and says, "Now you can have that until it's old." She just takes it and throws it away too. Are you kidding me? Of course, I saved the good piece in case she needs it but it's been a day now and she hasn't even asked for it. I knew this day would come, just not so soon. Ok, so she is almost four, but still. I am very proud of her for becoming such a big girl.

First Time Sledding

2008-03-17T12:22:00.001-06:00

About Me

2008-03-02T19:38:00.003-07:00

Thanks a lot Jenni, for tagging me. I'm sure people don't need to know what I'm really like, but I'll post it anyway because I sure had fun reading Jenni's.

Ten years ago:
I was just ending my junior year of high school. I know this may be a shock to some but I guess I'm younger than I think.

Five places I have lived:
I was born in American Fork, Utah. I then moved to St. Charles, Missouri. When I was eight we moved 45 minutes away from San Fransico, California to a little town called Petaluma. When I was in seventh grade we moved back to American Fork, Utah, where I stayed until going to college in Cedar City, Utah. I got engaged and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. Then we moved to Lehi, Utah and now are in Riverton, Utah. Ok, more than five places, but now you know. I don't plan on moving anytime soon from here.

Five things on my to do list:
Send an email about Bunco, scrap my trip to the Dominican Republic, clean my house and wash the sheets for my company coming, laundry, and finish reading all of the Harry Potter books.

I enjoy:
Spending time with my family, going out with my girlfriends, serving others, teaching young children, scrapbooking, quilting, writing, and reading.

Three bad habits:
I check my email at least ten times a day, I am a yeller and have been trying to do less of it, I used to bite my nails but hopefully won't do that anymore.

Five things you might not know about me:
I want to write a novel and have it published, I like to work because it makes me feel productive, I love to shop for food, I like to make homemade bread and lastly, I love cotton candy ice cream(although some people tell me to be a grown up and get something real!)

Five jobs that I've had:
I have always loved to baby sit, so I did that and also nannied. I worked at McDonald's for 2 miserable weeks. I have worked in many daycare centers, mostly teaching preschool age kids but I also once did the tiny babies. I taught preschool in my home for years. I am currently a Realtor.

What will be going on in ten years:
This is a hard one for me because Dave and I often discuss how plans never work out but here goes anyway...
Courtney will be 14, Dave will be 42(ouch), and I will be 37. Hopefully I will have some more children too. We will hopefully still be here in this wonderful neighborhood. I would like to be working, doing something I love and am passionate about. I hope I'm still in touch with all of my good friends. I would like to have seen more of the world and have taken Courtney on some pretty amazing trips.

That's it for me. Now the fun part, I tag Audra, Mindy, Tori, Jamie Benich, Jamie Young, Angie, Heidi, Danielle, Lindsay, Brittany and Tara.

Happy Late Valentine's Day

2008-02-22T15:55:00.002-07:00

So I know I'm totally late but I had to post these pics. Courtney's wonderful grandparents got her a build a bear for Christmas and it' her absolute favorite. That is why I had to get the bear(whose name is Baby Courtney) a valentine's outfit. They look so cute together.
Courtney was so excited for Valentine's Day. She couldn't wait to go to school and loved getting all of her Valentine's ready to give her friends. I love this age. She is really starting to understand holidays and it just makes them all the greater. I hope everyone had a good one!

Our trip to the Dominican Republic

2008-02-19T09:49:00.002-07:00

Dave and I just got back from our first trip together, just the two of us. I can't go any further without thanking Dave's mom for coming to Utah to watch Courtney. We had such a good time. It was hot and humid in the Dominican Republic but we were happy to be out of the snow. We relaxed mostly but did go into the city a few times. We were able to go to the temple there and also see some historic sights. Then we had one night in New York City. It was so much fun to see everything and our hotel was right in the middle of Times Square. It was freezing there though. We were so cold that we didn't get to walk around much. We had the best time and I need to tell Dave how much I love him. Thank you for the wonderful trip!

Church Cancelled?

2008-02-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

Never in my life have I gotten to miss church because of snow. That all changed this past Sunday. I was joking with Dave and my brother-in-law, Brian, about how they should cancel church because of all the snow. Brian looked at me and said,"They don't cancel church for snow." Was he ever wrong!
Courtney started off strong, shoveling the snow. After about 5 minutes she was cold and ready to go back in. We were happy that Brian was there to help shovel. Our entire neighborhood was outside shoveling at the same time. I think it took a good 45 minutes to get all the snow shoveled(and that didn't even include our third car garage driveway).

Brian wanted to get home but he was basically stuck at our house until later in the afternoon. It cleared up for a few hours and he was able to make it to his Super Bowl party.
It did turn out to be a very fun day. After shoveling, we had a lesson from Brian, from the Ensign. It was kind of fun to be snowed in with the family.
Once it stopped snowing, Dave and Courtney couldn't help but build a snowman. It turned out great and was actually Courtney's first snowman, if you can believe that. She is looking forward to many more. Happy Snow Day!

Baby Braces

2008-01-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

We had the unfortunate experience last week of getting "baby braces" put on Courtney's top four teeth. Never have we had an emergency situation with her(which to those of you who know her, is amazing). She left to play at a friend's house and they ended up playing out in the snow(we got about 2 feet in less than 24 hours). The next thing I know, my neighbor(thanks Dave) brings her to my door and she is bleeding and crying. She hit her top teeth on the edge of a power converter box. One tooth was barely hanging there, so I pushed it back up into her gums. Dave was able to come home and take us to the dentist. Luckily for us, she was able to keep all of her teeth. They were very loose, so the dentist said it would be best to put a wire on the teeth to strengthen them. We have come to call them "baby braces". She will have them on for six weeks, then they will come off. I'm sure this will the first of many times, but we are grateful it all turned out alright.

Where's my baby?

2008-01-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

As I was at the dentist with Courtney today, I started to think back. Here she was, being so brave, while the dentist was drilling in her mouth and I was thinking back to when she was a baby.
Was she really ever so small that she didn't fit in her car seat? I honestly cannot remember her being so tiny. She was almost eight pounds when she was born. She was a big baby compared to most in my family.
I remember her first smiles and her taking every second of my day. Dave would ask what I got done in a day and I would say, "Nothing. I don't know what I did all day but she took up all my time."
She is so independent now. She thinks she needs to do everything herself. She answers the phone, gets herself dressed, plays with friends all the time, and even has a chore chart to earn allowance.
So I seriously ask you, where did my baby go? How did she go from this tiny, sweet, perfect little newborn, to an independent, adorable, stubborn, bossy, and wonderful child?

Gotta love TV!

2008-01-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

Christmas finally came!

2007-12-31T11:06:00.000-07:00

We had a very Merry Christmas. We were so blessed to have my entire family here this year! It got a little crazy at times, but it was wonderful. I am so thankful for my family. I love spending time with everyone. Then we were blessed to have Grandma Bollard come for a few days after Christmas. Courntey thought that Christmas would never come, but was so happy when it finally did. We had a very Princess Christmas this year.

Let the baking begin

2007-12-16T21:41:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to learn that this year I wouldn't have to do all the baking myself. Dave and Courtney were so excited to help me. I thought I had struck the lottery. I mean, for 5 years I have done everything on my own.
I thought it was going to be so great. Then Dave told my he just wanted to make cinnamon rolls for everyone. The best part about holiday baking is that you get to make such a wide variety of everything. Then I got to thinking, it will be much easier to stick with one item. Cinnamon rolls are soooo good anyway, people would love it.
Then we started the whole 4 hour process. At first the two were so excited to do whatever I asked, but I realized it was just faster to do it all myself. Then they got specific assignments, rolling the dough and adding the cinnamon and sugar.

Then they started to want to do other things, because it was taking forever. By that time, I desperately needed their help. It all came together though and our friends were able to enjoy a delicious treat. I had to put this picture up to remind anyone not living close enough to receive some, move closer! Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season.

Snow much fun!

2007-12-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

We have actually been enjoying the snow this season. I usually dread it and wish I lived somewhere warmer when we get snow, but this year has been different. Maybe it's because I have a daughter now old enough to enjoy the wonder of it. Maybe it's because my nieces and nephew were here and loved it.
I would have to say that it is probably because it has snowed on the weekends, when we can just stay inside by the fire, drinking hot chocolate, and spend time together as a family. I don't know who gets more excited to go out into the snow, Dave or Courtney.
Dave finds shoveling the snow relaxing. Relaxing? That would be the last word on the planet I would use for the task. Another great reason to snow on the weekend, Dave goes out to shovel. I remember endlessly shoveling snow last year and how much it hurt my back.
We do have some pretty high tech neighbors. Some have snowblowers and some even have four wheelers with plows on the front. It's pretty fun to wake up to them plowing the roads and sidewalks in the morning. Courtney also likes to help. Since she couldn't find another shovel, she used one of our spades to help her dad shovel. She likes to think she does more of the shoveling than Dave. Cute, isn't it?
All in all, it has really put us in the Christmas mood to have so much snow this time of year. We usually have to wait for it and don't end up getting any until January or February. It makes the streets and houses look pretty and bright.

Our Trip to Disneyland

2007-11-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

We had a great Thanksgiving. We were able to go to Disneyland with Dave's family. It was so much fun!

My Six

2007-11-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged by Lindsay and must do this, otherwise the tagging will all end and she will feel like a complete failure. Just kidding Linds! I doubt that I could say much that people already don't know about me but I'll try.

1. I always wanted to be a doctor. I even started out college with a pre-med major. After failing chemistry and many guys telling me that I couldn't do that and be a mother, I changed majors.

2. I love to sleep in. Nothing makes me happier than waiting to wake up until I'm ready to get up for the day.

3. I love decorating for holidays. It doesnt' matter what holiday it is, I want something up to celebrate it.

4. I absolutely love my girlfriends! I could not live without them. I have no sisters, so my girlfriends are like my family.

5. I have road rage. I knew it was getting bad when I heard Courtney in the back seat yelling, "Go guy. What's your deal? Move it."

6. I like to give 110% to everything I do. Whether it's being the achievement days leader or Nursery leader, I do more than what is asked of me. I love to be sure everything is fun and right for everyone.

Lauryn's Luau

2007-11-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

Courtney's cousin, Lauryn, turned 7 last week. Courtney went to the "luau" and had lots of fun! They started with a relay race, then tried to stomp out each other's balloons. After that they played pin the petal on the flower and of course, there was a pinata(the real reason Courtney loves parties). They had cake and ice cream and opened presents. It was a lot of fun for everyone. Thanks Shannon, for such a great party!

A Day at the Zoo

2007-11-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

Dave thought a day at the zoo would be fun for the family last Saturday. Boy was he right! The weather was perfect and most of the animals were out. We had lots of fun!

The Jazz Bear

2007-11-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

Although Courtney loves going to the Jazz games, they usually go something like this: "Can those guys get off the court so that the Jazz bear can come out!" Needless to say, we never actually get up close and personal with the Jazz bear. When we saw him on a street corner meeting fans Courtney ordered, "Turn the car around Mom. We have to see him." So this is her, meeting her favorite bear.

Jazz Game

2007-11-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

Our first Jazz game of the season ended up being a lot of fun. We love to go to the games and even have a jersey for Courtney. She had so much fun.
The really fun part was that the Jazz killed the Kings. We got to see some great steals, dunks, and just great ball. We can't wait to go to more. Brian, Dave's brother, came with us and brought a date, Amy. We're glad they came with us.

New Scooter

2007-11-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

We went to Classic skating with some friends this summer and in case you didn't know, kids can now bring scooters and things, instead of just roller skating. Ever since then Courtney has adamantly wanted a scooter of her own. It was kind of sad. She was the only kid without one.
We decided that we shouldn't just buy her one, but that she should earn it. She worked so hard to get her scooter. The first day I introduced it to her, she wanted to do whatever she could to earn stickers. She cleaned three bathrooms, dusted, did laundry, and made beds. She really earned her money for it.
She kept with it and got a scooter much earlier than Dave had anticipated. She was so happy when she was able to pick it out and help Dave put it together. I guess the world really is a better place when you have a scooter.

Haunted Houses and Pumpkin Carving

2007-11-04T14:22:00.000-07:00

We almost carved pumpkins this year but this is as far as we got. We kept waiting to do it with Dave but by the time he gets home at night, Courtney is beside herself with tiredness. Maybe next year we will have to do it during the day without Dad. She really did enjoy just sticking face pieces on though. She especially loved the stickers. It's probably too small to tell but she loved the ones that looked like blood.

What Halloween celebration would be complete with a gingerbread haunted house. Ours would have been except Grandma came to Courtney's rescue. It turned into a family project and was alot of fun. It did end up turning out pretty cute. The funniest part was that my niece, Ali, would only eat the candy and not put it on the house. She's 18 months old. I think that is to be expected. Courtney was very concerned about it, however, so we finally got her to put a few pieces on.

We had a very Happy Halloween. Although I didn't know that Halloween was such an exhausting holiday, it was so much fun. I don't think holidays are much fun without a child to help you remember how special they really are. Courtney and Dave went out trick-or-treating while I passed out the goods. We figure we had close to 100 kids come by, which is an all time record for us. Hope everyone else had an equally as enjoyable Halloween!

Happy Birthday Dave!

2007-10-28T14:09:00.000-06:00

Dave turned 32 on Wednesday! Courtney was very excited for his birthday. She asked me about 50 times if she could help him blow out his candles. She obviously loves to blow out candles. Then she was really excited to help him open his present. It was cookies, from his mom and dad, and she thought it was the best present ever.
We had a little cake for him while his family was here last weekend. 32 candles is almost too many to put on a small cake. Dave doesn't usually get to be with his family on his birthday, so it was fun to have them here.
On his actual birthday, we made him breakfast and gave him his present from us. He is so hard to buy for but I never go wrong with giving him pictures of Courntey. We got him a picture and frame to bring to work with him. Then we got some balloons and brought them to his work. He had already gone to lunch with some of his co-workers, but they also had a cake there for him. We sang to him and had cake with the office.
Dave's family surprised him with a ping pong table for his birthday. The bigger surprise was that it came totally unassembled. It took over an hour for 5 of us to get it all put together but it was worth it. We played and had lots of fun. Dave almost has a complete game room(a dream of his). Now we just need to finish the basement.
Lastly, I have to say how much I love Dave. He is such a good husband and father. I feel grateful to be the lucky woman that he chose to spend eternity with. He works so hard for his family and never asks for anything in return. Happy Birthday, hon!

Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-23T13:06:00.000-06:00

No October trip would be complete without takning the time to go to the pumpkin patch. The girls had lots of fun going through the corn maze and also picking out pumpkins. Courtney had to help the little girls. Of course they had to have tiny pumpkins because they are so little, or so Courtney said.

Barnyard Boo

2007-10-23T12:57:00.000-06:00

For those of you who aren't from around here, Barnyard Boo is a fun little Halloween activity for small children. We were lucky to have Dave's whole family(except his brother Dan, we missed you!) come for the weekend

Of course there was lots to do with Halloween being so near. We went to the farm at Thanksgiving Point for a little Halloween fun. I think both Courtney and Ali were more happy that it was a farm, then the fact it was decked out with Halloween things to do. Highlights of the trip were when they got to feed the ducks(those of you that are loyal readers know this is always a favorite) although they feed them corn instead of bread this time.

Another was getting balloons. Ali got a black cat that soon turned into just a long, black balloon. Courntey got a pink, princess wand. Also to mention, but not really a highlight, was the headless horsemen. Courtney got pretty scared to see him riding around on a huge white horse but with no head. I even thought is was totally creepy.